Help choosing AR10 rifle.

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solman

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Hi all,
For my next rifle when I get the $$ together i'm thinking of the AR10 type rifle in .308/7.62
There are so many choices I'm a bit confused as to which is best. I know there is DPMS, Bushmaster ,Colt ......etc. I was thinking of going about $1200-$1500 or so for this rifle. I live in N.J. so no large capacity mags and no flash hiders and soon who knows what else they will ban.
I would apprediate any suggestions and feedback from those who have one or are familliar with these rifles.
I have a bushmaster AR15 wich I just love and was thinking maybe go with them....
 
This FAQ well help. My personal choice would be ArmaLite. AR10 is a specific designation used by ArmaLite for their 7.62 AR platform, DPMS has LR-308, etc... The generic term would be .308/7.62 AR platform.
 
R25 Remington.

Comes with 5 rnd mag, no flash suppressor, very accurate.
 
ArmaLite AR-10 std or carbine rifle.

The ArmaLite's do not use plastic magazines.

A post ban may be an option as they have pinned flash hiders/muzzle devices.
 
There are so many good options out there. For me, I started with the DPMS TAC20 (308). I've shot about 250 trouble free rounds. There are more expensive guns out there, but for my first US Black Rifle I think it is a great value. I paid right around $1,000 and then bought a Nikon scope. Good luck on your choice.
 
Yeah I would say Armalite too. They have a reputation for a little higher quality than DPMS or Bushmaster, but don't cost a whole lot more. They've been in the .308 AR game longer than most. Plus they are available with a muzzle brake instead of a flash hider, or with no muzzle device at all. If you go with no muzzle device at all, I would go for the 20" barrel, or longer. A 16" with no hider or brake will produce a massive flash and blast. Also they use modified M-14 mags made by CMI, which are available in 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 round capacity so you can pick the biggest one that your state law allows.
 
I've heard mostly good about the LR-308/R-25, but for my money, Armalite was the way to go. Better fit & finish, and they use a stronger 7175 alloy for the receiver. If I could only have one rifle, it'd be my AR-10A2 carbine.

Also they use modified M-14 mags made by CMI, which are available in 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 round capacity so you can pick the biggest one that your state law allows.
Click to expand...

The Gen II mags are scaled-up AR-15 mags. Current rifles and those updated with the Gen II BHO catch can use gen I mags, but they may fail to lock the bolt back. The modified M14 mags sometimes cause feeding issues because of the drag induced by the little spring-loaded plunger for BHO. I removed the plungers from all my gen I mags; They all run reliably now, just get a click when empty. My gen II 25 rounders have been flawless. They're just expensive.
 
In any case the Armalite mags are available in 15-round capacity, which I think is the legal limit in NJ. Nobody makes a 15-round mag for the other pattern of .308 ARs, which is DPMS, KAC, and Bushmaster.
 
get the armalite with the 1 piece upper and the free float barrel.ask if you can have the compensater cut into the barrel,rather than screw on.1 piece upper will be stiffer.have the barrel fluted also.get the gisselle 2 stage trigger.make sure if collapsible stock main tube is alum,not plastic.chrome lined match bbl also

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=151

http://www.gentrycustom.com/
 
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I have the LR-308 with long and short uppers. They work fine. Get a trigger job or a better one(drop-in) and PMags. Accurate enough. You won't be blasting away like an AR15, ammo costs more. Decide if you want 308 or 762. Some will take both, some won't. Check to see if FMJ is allowed, you won't find 7.62 in RN or SP.
 
Unless you can get a higher end one like a SCAR17 (which I consider to be an AR10 style) or SR25 or such, or a custom one like the Cobb or (this other company, starts with an "R") that make .338LapuaMag, .408Cheytac, etc., then I say go for the Armalite AR10. They've been around the longest, they seem better built to me.

I owned a DPMS, one of the very first LRR's, and wasn't too impressed. A lot of people are though, so I'll leave it at that. I guess it depends on what you plan on using it for and just how accurate you are vs. the rifle.

The Armalite seems like a well built platform, and if I don't get the SCAR17 in the future, I'll get an Armalite myself. I like the .338Federal... Seems like a sleeper, it has a lot more energy than the .308, and is great inside 300m. A great "AR10/M4" platform calibre if you ask me.

Being able to swap out the uppers between Armalite is a plus also.

The .338Fed is great for a hard hitting closer range round, like a BIG 5.56mm replacement, but if you want loooong range, the .260 or 6.5mm version is the one you seek. Not sure which calibre they offer (but you can get their upper and a barrel of your choice cut, so it doesn't matter really).

Or the .308... Best "all around". Either way, for budget AR10, get a real AR10 --an Armalite. If I recall, they also make one closest to mil spec. I know, I know, there isn't a mil spec, but if you took the mil spec for an M4 and applied it to an AR10, materials, chrome bore, etc., Armalite builds a rifle closest to these specifications. There was a thread about it on here a while back.
 
The AR-10 Armalite sells now is NOT the same as the original AR-10.

I trust plastic P-mags over ANY metal magazine design. I tossed my issued aluminum magazines in Iraq and carried Pmags. If you drop a metal magazine on its lips, it can be ruined. Pmags are MUCH more resilient and durable.

There are two primary competing patterns for .308 AR rifles. The DPMS/KAC pattern, and the Armalite pattern. Armalite made a choice because of the (then in force) 'assault weapons' ban, that they would use a specific magazine pattern that is no longer advantageous. They also cut the fit between their uppers and lowers with a diagonal, rather than rounded joint. This means that pretty much the only manufacturers with compatibility with this pattern are Armalite and Noveske. (That I know of.) Now don't get me wrong, I don't know of anyone who would say that Noveske is a bad way to go, but in the future, if you want to customize or accessorize, your choices are going to be MUCH more limited.

The DPMS/KAC (Knight's) pattern on the other hand, is becoming much more standardized and accepted. this is the rifle that the Army has adopted for DMR/M-110-SASS use. Most AR-15 guts will work in it, and you can get Pmags for it. If you have one in .308, you can build uppers for it in .260 Rem, 7mm-08, and .243, and still use the same lower and magazines. THAT is what broke the tie for me, I'm building a DPMS rifle, I put a Giessele trigger and oversize safety, I'm picking up bits and pieces as I go.
 
Remington R25 is your only good option, DPMS is, in my opinion, crap. I bought one and had a nightmare with trying to make it work, gave up, rebuilt the whole thing. All that is left of that rifle is the original upper/lower receivers. All else is gone.
 
DPMS LR-308, P-Mags, good scope, bipod, rock it.

Never look back. The best out there for under $2,000.
 
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